Susan Hutchison is a Republican.
The former KIRO-TV News anchor doesn’t want you to know she’s a
Republican. She helped run a campaign that enables Republicans to run
for office in liberal King County without disclosing that they’re
Republicans. And now she is using those new rules to run for King
County executive without telling the voters that she’s a
Republican.
Hutchison was one of the leading proponents of last year’s
Initiative 26, which made all King County offices officially
“nonpartisan.” In a statement she cowrote supporting the measure,
Hutchison said it would “end partisan bickering” and “create genuine
nonpartisan elections.” Opponents of the measure predicted that it
would empower Republicans to run stealth campaigns in liberal King
County.
Now Hutchison is attempting to do exactly that. In announcing her
run, Hutchison boasted about her lack of partisan affiliation,
name-dropping both outgoing King County executive Ron Sims, a Democrat,
and Democratic former governor Booth Gardner. “Voters are looking for a
new direction in government,” Hutchison said in a press release.
But don’t let Hutchison’s nonpartisan pretenses fool you. She’s a
partisan Republican with a long history of working for and donating to
right-wing causes.
Hutchison has given thousands of dollars to Republican candidates
(including anti-choice nut job Mike Huckabee), she has served as a
board member for the creationist Discovery Institute, she almost ran
for state senate as a Republican in 2005, and she delivered a
Bible-thumping speech at this year’s Governor’s Prayer Breakfast in
which she sneered at “activist atheists” and evolutionary biologists
like Richard Dawkins for “believing they can get by just fine” without
Jesus.
Contrary to what “evolutionists” like Dawkins believe, Hutchison
told prayer-breakfast attendees earlier this year, “God created the
magnificent universe and the world we see and the glorious beauty
around us… Christ himself is the creator who made everything in
heaven and earth.”
It’s one thing to believe in God (as plenty of public officials,
including outgoing county executive Ron Sims, do); it’s quite another
to advocate the teaching of religion in science classes and to condemn
scientists for being scientists.
Hutchison’s creationist beliefs dovetail perfectly with the
Discovery Institute, the right-wing think tank where she served as a
board member. Best known for pushing “intelligent design,” the
Discovery Institute encourages public schools to “teach the
controversy,” an attempt to put evolution and creationism on equal
footing in science classes.
Discovery Institute founder Bruce Chapman told The Stranger that Hutchison left the think tank’s board at the end
of 2007. However, the group didn’t take her name off its list of board
members until just last week, after reporters started calling to ask if
she was still affiliated with the group. “Somebody made a mistake,”
Chapman said. Her biography at the Charles Simonyi Fund for Arts and
Sciences, of which she’s executive director, until Tuesday still listed
the Discovery affiliation.
And despite her claim that she wants to “end partisan bickering,”
Hutchison also has a long history of giving to right-wing
Republicans—and only right-wing Republicans.
Since 2003, her campaign donations have included:
• $2,075 to Republican gubernatorial challenger Dino Rossi,
plus $1,000 to ChangePAC, a Building Industry Association of
Washington–backed group that supported Rossi,
• $500 to George W. Bush,
• $3,000 to Republican George Nethercutt, who ran against
Washington senator Patty Murray,
• $3,000 to Eastside Republican congressman Dave Reichert,
himself a faux-“moderate” Republican, and
• $500 to 2008 Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee,
who shares Hutchison’s disdain for science and her belief in a personal
Christ as the only road to salvation.
In all her years of political involvement, the “nonpartisan”
Hutchison has given not one dime to Democrats or Democratic causes.
So what is Hutchison hiding from? Maybe the voters of King County.
In 2008, just 28 percent of King County voters supported Hutchison’s
fellow Republican John McCain for president, and just 36 percent
supported her candidate Rossi. King County voters don’t support
Republicans. Which is why Hutchison is trying to pretend she isn’t one.
Check out Susan Hutchison speaking at the annual Governor’s Prayer Breakfast earlier this year.
I’ve stolen about $20 worth of deli meat and cheese from QFC. If ECB was stealing, she was doing it to get drunk. I went home and farted a lot. Who is the REAL criminal?
creationism and intelligent design are the same thing.
A few thoughts. While the story was good, I think your front page is even better.
Honestly, everyone who reads The Stranger is probably already informed. The biggest outreach has to be to the kind of people who don’t pick up any paper, or at least not this one. The cover does that very well.
I also think one could draw a parallel to this piece and the right’s labeling of Obama as a socialist.
And would everyone shut the fuck up about the wine thing already? If ECB runs for office, feel free to bring it up. If not, go to hell. I used to shoplift candy and donuts in high school. Doesn’t prevent me from having an educated opinion on anything else.
To the person above your a douche. If your a republican, selfish, crazy let it be known. The fact that she has to “hide” anything just tells you wrong her bringing her crazy ass right wing beliefs to the public square are. You act like a dick, your going to be called out.
ECB is similar to Hutchison. ECB attempted to stay under the radar about her copping a plea for stealing wine from QFC. The truth about ECB stealing wine from QFC needs to be exposed as does Hutchison’s party affiliation.
In brief, ECB is a thief, and Hutchison is a Republican.
Take what you want from this article. For me, the fact that Hutchinson made a contribution to the 2004 Bush/Cheney campaign and espouses id/creationism/whatever allows me to write her off completely.
Just because one reads The Stranger does not make one informed, despite the staff’s best efforts. So bullocks on that, “BombasticMo,” if that is your real name.
I’m glad that somebody drudged up Hutchinson’s history. If they had not, some well-meaning moderates or even liberals might have taken her campaign at face value and voted for her, not knowing that they were promoting creationism and the like.
This article exemplifies what journalism exists for: Giving the people information that those in power would rather not have known.
@Seattle Al — simmer down Gramps. You’ll blow a gasket.
On the flip side I wonder if the Republican electorate will actually support Hutchison. Will they recognize that Hutchison is a weak candidate even though she is one of their own?
Go, Ivan, go!!
I used to look up to you, Susan….how could you? HAIL SATAN!
‘Liberals pretend they are tolerant people’, yes, as opposed to Repugs who don’t even try to pretend that they are tolerant; witness the racist, bigotted ravings at the ‘tea parties’. As for fiscal responsibility, Repugs wouldn’t know what that is, if you actually think you had it for the last 8 years. Your party is tired and so very 2000, that is why even Republicans don’t want to admit that they are Repubicans, they obviously think it is something to hide. Thank you Erica for at least giving us awareness, so that we can make an informed choice (‘informed’ being a dirty, frightening word to the ‘Faux News’ crowd).
I’m thirsty.
Erica, want to go out for some wine?
Susan is pretty easy on the eyes,
even you gay boys have to agree…
ECB should have to wear a scarlet PT for petty thief. Hutchison should have to wear a scarlet CR for Christian Republican.
And “Let’s not forget it” should have to wear a scarlet CAL for complimentary ass licker.
It’s shocking and shameful how hateful this article was, and how shallow and intolerant so many of the comments were. What is wrong with you people? Since when was it a crime to be a republican? Only fanatics vote straight party line, and only idiots too lazy to research the issues vote for a candidate based on their party affiliation. Shouldn’t the real discussion be about the issues and not what party SH is affiliated with. More important is would Hutchinson do a good job in office. Religious belief has nothing to do with how well one does a job, and vilifying an individual for having religious convictions is criminal.
Interesting story. Will you do similar length profiles of Dow, Larry, Fred and anyone else who runs for the position?
And will you do an in-depth story about the goals of the candidates for bus service, jails, incorporation, land use, the environment, police funding and the chronic revenue shortfalls of county government?
proudrepublican, thanks for letting us know that religious cronyism should be kept out of politics and is no reason to vote for one candidate or the other. We should really follow the example republicans have set in this regard.
“Only fanatics vote straight party line, and only idiots too lazy to research the issues vote for a candidate based on their party affiliation.” It’s true, if republicans weren’t such open minded guardians of the democratic process lord knows we would blindly be voting for starting illegal wars, torturing people and suppressing civil rights for minorities.
Promoting creationism and attempting to put ‘intelligent design’ into classrooms is strictly a Republican agenda. Susan Hutchinson promotes unique set of belief that can only be described as a Bush era Republican. To ask the public to play along with idea that she is non partisan is to demand we remain ignorant of her intent if she were to gain a seat in public office. Reporting where Susan stands on issues is not a smear campaign unless of course she ( and possibly SeattleAl) are painfully aware her candidacy will in no way represent the constituents. Non partisanship should not be invoked to bully the public into silence and shame them for attempting to make an informed voting decision SeattleAl. I don’t want to know personal relationship stories, I want to hear her vision on future policies she would put forth. Which lobbyists she accepts from and who she donates to. The bed she lies in and the favors she owes as it were. There is too much ‘Who do I want a beer with?’ mentality and not enough ‘How will their policies affect my life?’ in the current public vetting process.
“You liberals think you’re so tolerant! And yet–you disagree with me! How dare you!”
It’s silly how many apparent right-wingers scoff at this as if it’s a “smear”. Some of the comments are a bit snide/rude/whatever, but the point is that someone whose beliefs would not be appealing to most voters around here is shedding a party affiliation that’s pretty clear. “Look at the person, not the party” – fine. But a party affiliation does tell you something about the person! Fuck initiative 26. Although as a result, we know where Hutchison stands perhaps more thoroughly than we might have otherwise.
wow, imagine voting for a candidate based on what they say and what their history tells us instead of just looking at the D or the R next to their name on the ballot. Whats the problem with that, requireing voters to actually take a serious look at the candidates.
There is no such thing as “non-partisan.” The same people are going to be supporting the same candidates.
The difference in King County now is that it is going to be harder to find out who those people are.
terrible, biased pos article
I happen to like and believe several of the things this author despises and which she derided Ms Hutchison for believing. But King County Executive does not deal with the major partisan issues such as creationism. I’m more interested in what she’s going to do for the King County residents who need better transportation, better health care, lower and more fair taxes, ending the ever-growing homeless dilemma, etc., etc. And I also don’t have a problem with non-partisan office, cuz there really isn’t much of a difference in the local positions like there is in state & federal.
Maggie writes: The Discovery Institute believes in Intelligent Design, not Creationism. While they both argue in favor of design, they are not the same.
Of course they’re the same. ID simply declines to specify a deity by name. The main ID textbook even included a botched search-and-replace artifact that made it clear that, after losing a court case, they simply went through the book changing instances of “creationists” to “intelligent design proponants” (the botched result read “cdesign proponantsists”).
ID is simply Creationism with the serial numbers filed off.
Terry Parkhurst writes: What will matter to the people of unincorporated King County will be Ms. Hutchison’s views on land use. Her views on so-called “intelligent design” and all that, will mean nothing; as indeed it should in a race that is officially non-partisan.
It’s sensible to take a larger view and ask whether this is a person whose political career you want to help launch. It’s also sensible to ask whether a creationist has the sort of ability to analyze data and make decisions that will make him or her a good executive.
GASP! A conservative is running in liberal KING COUNTY?! We must mobilize the cool aide pitchers, organize the big blue barrels of blue dye, and fortify ourselves with massive stacks of unread copies of The Stranger. How dare someone with a career in journalism run for public office without wearing an elephant or donkey on their sleeve. I mean, just like the hacks here at The Stranger, sure every broadcaster in Seattle is equally as biased in their reporting of the news? In copy and pasting the “facts” sent to you, undoubtedly by some consultant working for one of the other guys (wait, Hutchison is the only woman in the race?), you forgot to mention: the group she works for funds the Chair held by Richard Dawkins at Oxford. The Executive has no control over public schools or science curriculum. She won a lawsuit against KIRO for discriminating against women. Oops! But she’s a conservative. So she doesn’t deserve anything but being slimed.
Oh, Erica, it’s hard to continue to be a liberal when I have you on my side. This, combined with the blog post about how there’s only two sides to the abortion debate and they should stop talking because they don’t have common ground sounds like a petulant child who can’t deal with a world that doesn’t think completely like her and asks her to engage a bit more of her own intelligence.
Hutchinson is a Republican and I probably won’t vote for her because of it. Unfortunately, that really makes me a lazy voter and an unengaged citizen. If I were living up to my responsibility, I really would read all I could about the decision making track records of candidates. I feel guilty that I don’t make the time to do it but really, girl, as part of your job you should be a smarter representative of the liberal perspective than you’ve been in the various articles I’ve seen you post since I subscribed to Slog in the past two weeks. Your post amounts to, “Hutchinson has chosen not to label herself with a term you can be prejudiced against, so here’s your convenient label so you can go back to not really paying attention to the candidate’s actual actions.”